GAZA, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Hamas has threatened it will kidnap Israeli soldiers to swap for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar told an election rally in the city of Khan Younes in south Gaza Wednesday night that his group believes that it has no other alternative than kidnapping Israeli troops to negotiate the release of Palestinian prisoners.
"The issue of prisoners and detainees in Israeli jails is of utmost importance for Hamas and a main objective at the top of its agenda," al-Zahar said.
"We will have no rest until all prisoners are released unconditionally," he added.
Hamas will be participating for the first time in Palestinian legislative elections slated for Jan. 25. Its decision was seen as a landmark move to shift to politics at the expense of military action.
On possible negotiations with Israel, al-Zahar, one of Hamas' candidates in the elections, said his group will not negotiate with Israel and that the issue is not on its agenda.
"Hamas will not negotiate with Israeli occupiers and will not recognize Israel's appropriation of a single inch of our land," he said.
"Hamas will continue its program based on resistance after the collapse and failure of the Oslo peace accords with Israel," he added.
Al-Zahar underscored the urgent need to introduce reforms to Palestinian institutions and the political system. "We want a strong government, and ministries which serve the public with transparency and honesty and without bribes and mediation," he said.
Hamas is expected to score well in the general elections in view of its high performance in municipal polls last year, challenging the supremacy of the Fatah movement, the backbone of the Palestinian Authority.
